~ real food, balanced living ~

Warm Apple-Raspberry Crisp ~ Gluten Free, Dairy Free

Gorgeous, local apples are still flooding markets and grocery stores, so I decided to take advantage of these wholesome beauties and make a warming apple-berry crisp.

Given that there is no shortage of crisp, cobbler and crumble recipes out there, I wanted to challenge myself to put together a topping that was every bit as delicious as the best ones available, while sourcing it primarily from natural sugars and gluten free grains/nuts. I also decided to make this version vegan (egg free, dairy free) so that it would suit most dietary restrictions.

The result is a warm, comforting and full-flavoured dessert, with little surprises in the topping that will pleasure your senses in a whole new way! (now there’s a claim I hope I can live up to – wink).

I hope you will give it a try and discover that you don’t need to use a cup of sugar and white flour to create a heavenly tasting crisp.

Warm Apple-Raspberry Crisp ~ Gluten Free, Dairy Free

For the fruit mixture:

6 lovely seasonal apples, (I used McIntosh), peeled and sliced

2 cups frozen raspberries

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp pure maple syrup

2 tsp natural vanilla extract

For the topping:

1/3 cup quinoa flakes

1/4 scant cup coconut flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup coconut sugar, substitute other coarse grain sugar

4 medjool dates, pitted and chopped

1 + 1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 or 4 Tbsp coconut oil

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Serves 6 or so

Notes:

I have never cored an apple. I simply peel and slice around the core and eat the difference.

I like using quinoa flakes (as opposed to flour) in this recipe because it approximates the coarser texture of oatmeal which is delightful in a crisp.

If you are working with fresh raspberries in this recipe, you will want to add a little bit more lemon juice/water (frozen berries release more fluid as they thaw/bake).

You can substitute any of the vegan plant-based butters (mostly sourced from seeds) in place of the coconut oil however, because coconut oil is a saturated fat, it is solid at room temperature and mimics the properties of butter best. Coconut oil is also a whole food that is perfectly healthy in moderation and tastes delicious. If you are not vegan or on a dairy free diet, you can of course use butter (another stable, saturated fat that is perfectly healthy in moderation).

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Directions:

Heat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, combine lemon juice, water, maple syrup and vanilla, whisking to combine.

Coat a suitably sized casserole or baking dish (enough to hold at least 1.5 quarts/1.4 liters) with olive oil. Add sliced apples and raspberries to the dish and top with liquid mixture. Using your hands (or two spoons if preferred), gently mix liquid mixture in with apples and raspberries taking care not to mash the fruit.

Bake the crisp uncovered in the oven for approximately 30-40 minutes or until apples are tender and the topping is nicely browned (fruit juices may also start to bubble around edges). Ramekins will take less time to bake than a singular dish – you can start checking after 20 minutes or so depending on oven temperatures, etc.﻿

Comments

There is absolutely everything to love about this tempting but healthy dessert. I love quinoa and am excited to hear about the flakes. I’ve seen coconut oil around a bit, and I didn’t realize it was such a healthy alternative to butter. JT adores crisps so this will be on our list to try this winter.

Thanks Eva! I’m glad you like the recipe… Just to clarify, the coconut oil has similar ‘solid’ properties as butter so for those who are not eating butter because they are vegan or dairy free, coconut oil mimics the texture of butter relatively well in the crisp. In terms of health properties, I think the argument can be made that both butter and coconut oil (stable, naturally occurring saturated fats) are perfectly acceptable in moderate amounts in healthy individuals. If ever you’re interested in learning more about the complex subject of fats (we are constantly being bombarded with conflicting information as consumers), I highly recommend Mary Enig’s “Know Your Fats” an excellent book that helps demystify. Cheers Eva :).

I never thought to combine fall fruits and summer fruits in a crisp…but I think it’s a great idea! So creative with your topping. Thankfully I have no need to go dairy/gluten free but this would be a nice change anyway :) I have actually recently discovered coconut oil and absolutely love it. I also use it to keep my skin soft (and to smell amazing)!!

Ohhh I just love this. Dates in the crumble. I will have to try this. It’s like “of course, how come i didn’t think of that!” . I love the color that raspberries bring to this dessert. Gorgeous photos Kelly.

Mmmm what a yummy treat! Your crumble sounds awesome and I feel so good about the ingredients you used! I love coconut sugar, but I haven’t tried coconut flour yet…though I have a big bag in the pantry!

What a great treat to make with local apples! Wish I had some raspberries. Love the crisp topping; however, I’ve never had quinoa flakes so not quite sure about their texture but I’ll assume they have the nuttiness of regular quinoa. Beautiful crisp and I love all of your pictures!!! The use of the crumbled paperbag was clever. Might steal that idea. :) Have a marvelous weekend Kelly!

Kelly, you are the only blogger I know who doesn’t scare me with words like “diary free” or “gluten free” or other restriction describing terms because I know that whatever strict rules you apply to a dish it will end up gorgeous, tempting and certainly luscious. This crumble is no exception. The idea to combine apples with raspberries sounds great too and I must tell you I am in awe of your ingredients’ photos! I had no idea that ingredients can look so beautiful! I wonder how you made this miracle…

I want a big bowl of this right now. I’m fighting a nasty bugger of a virus this week and all I seem to want are warm, comforting foods. This would put a bit of a healthy twist on that for me too. :) I’ve never combined apples and berries, but I have no doubt that I would LOVE it!